Longitudinally adjustable shoe tree



May 15, 1962 J. R. MOORE LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE SHOE TREE Filed Sept. 19, 1958 This invention relates to shoe trees, and more particularly to an adjustable shoe tree adapted for use with infants shoes.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel adjustable shoe tree construction that may be adjusted for use with a wide range of sizes of shoes.

Another object is to provide a novel adjustable shoe tree construction that is adapted to engage the toe and heel portions of a shoe in the same relative position, regardless of the shoe size.

A further object is to provide an adjustable shoe tree construction which permits simple and rapid adjustment of the length thereof, and which may be inexpensively manufactured.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable shoe tree construction that is capable of being folded into a compact shape for storage or shipment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of an adjustable shoe tree embodying the present invention and showing it positioned in a typical infants shoe;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable shoe tree, showing the general arrangement of the parts thereof as they are when inserted in a shoe;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view with some parts in section, showing the relationship of the parts when inserted in a shoe, the latter being shown in dotted line; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, showing the arrangement of the parts as they would appear when folded into a fiat position for storage or shipment.

Briefly described, the present invention relates to an adjustable shoe tree construction that is particularly adapted for use with infants shoes, the device being expansible to permit its use with shoes of a wide range of sizes. The device comprises generally a toe piece, an elongated heel piece, and an elongated connecting channel member that is pivotally connected to both the toe piece and heel piece. The heel piece and connecting channel member are disposed in a generally upright position and are relatively moveable about an elevated pivot point with a scissor-like movement. The lower end of the heel piece is thus movea'ole in the plane of the toe piece, due to the pivoted connection of the channel member therewith. Means is provided adjacent the elevated pivot point for adjusting the angular relationship between the channel member and the heel piece to adjust the overall length of the shoe tree and thus permit its use with various sizes of shoes. The channel configuration of the connecting member permits the heel piece to be folded between the flanges thereof, thereby permitting both the heel piece and the channel member to be swung generally in line with the toe piece to provide a compact assembly for purposes of storage or shipment.

In FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawing, an adjustable shoe tree embodying the principles of the present invention, and indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in conjunction with a typical infants shoe 11. It will be understood that while the shoe tree is particularly adapted for use with an infants shoe, a shoe tree embodying the features IQQ Patented May 15, 1962 of the invention but of suitable size could also be used with adult shoes.

The adjustable shoe tree 10 comprises a toe piece 12,

an elongated heel piece 13, and an elongated connecting I be used in either a right or left shoe.

The elongated heel piece 13 is preferably formed of wood or plastic and has an elongated rectangular configuration tapering slightly from its lower end 19 to its upper end 21. The heel piece 13 is normally disposed in a generally upright position and the lower end 19 is rounded to conform to the interior of the heel portion of the shoe 11.

The connecting member 14 is preferably a U-shaped channel having a web portion 26 and flanges 27, and is also normally disposed in a generally upright position in relation to the toe piece 12. The connecting channel member 14 is pivotally secured at its lower end 28 by a pin 29 extending transversely through the flanges 27 and the rear end 31 of the toe piece 12, the latter being formed with a longitudinal notch or slot 32 to receive the end 28 of the channel member. The channel member 14 is arranged with its web portion 26 disposed forwardly so that the pin 29 extends through the slotted rear end 31 of the toe piece 12 and the flanges 27, thereby providing a lower pivot point for the assembly.

The channel member 14 has its upper end 33 pivotally connected to the upper end 21 of the heel piece 21 by a pivot pin 34 which extends through the flanges 27. The pin 34 thus provides an elevated pivot point for the assembly. The width of the channel member 14 is such as to permit the heel piece 13 to be folded within the channel and in engagement with the web portion 26. This arrangement provides a compact folded assembly. The inside of the lower end of the heel piece 13 is notched as at 23 to facilitate the aforementioned folded engagement by permitting the pin 29 to be received in the notch.

The upper end of the channel member 14 has the web portion cut away as at 36 to accommodate pivotal movement of the extreme upper end of the heel piece 13 when the shoe tree 10 is adjusted for larger sized shoes. The lower ends of the flanges 27 may also be cut-01f or beveled as at 37 (FIG. 4) to prevent contact with the inner sole portion of the shoe.

When the toe piece 12 is forced into the toe of the shoe, the toe piece of course aligns itself with the plane of the interior of the shoe 11 along the inner sole portion thereof. The pivotal connection of the channel 14 with both the toe piece 12 and the heel piece 13 permits the lower end of the latter to remain in the plane of the toe piece for all positions of adjustment. The scissor-like adjustment between the connecting member 14 and the heel piece 13 permits a wide range of adjustment for different sizes of shoes.

Means is provided for adjusting the angle between the heel piece 13 and channel member 14 for a particular shoe size and to force the toe piece and heel piece firmly into position. To this end, the heel piece 13 has a transverse bore 38 therethrough for receiving the threaded portion 39 of an adjusting screw 41. The bore 38 is preferably enlarged, as at 42, in the inner side face 24 of the heel piece 13 for receiving a nut 43. The nut 43 is threaded to receive the adjusting screw 41.

As will be apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, adjustment of the screw 41 is effective to pivot the heel piece13 about assists 3 the upper pivot point 34, so that any desired spacing may I be obtained between the toe piece 12 and heel piece 13. Inasmuch as the channel member 14 is also pivotally connected to the toe piece 12, the lower rounded end portion 19 of the heel piece 22 will at all times engage the interior of the heel portion of various sizes of shoes in the same plane with the toe piece and closely adjacent the sole of the shoe.

As shown in PEG. 5, the position of the parts of the While only oneembodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that variations and modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the scope ofrthe concepts herein disclosed asset forth in the appending claims;

I claim:

As is apparent from the p 1. An adjustable shoe tree adapted for use with an infants shoe comprising a toe piece having a forward end shaped to fit the interior of the toe portion of the shoe, an elongated heel piece adapted to be normally disposed in a generally upright position and having its lower end curved'to engage the interior of the heel portion of the shoe, an elongated connecting member comprising a channel opening rearwardly and adapted to be normally disposed in a generally upright position, with a portion thereof extending above said shoe, said member being pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear end of said toe piece and pivotally connected at its upper end to the upper end of said heel piece, the pivotal connection of said connecting member with said heel piece being such that said heelpiece fits within the upper part of said channel with the upper end of said heel piece extending above said channel, the extreme lower end of said channel being above the bottom of the toe piece throughout the range of pivotal movement of said channel to facilitate insertion of the toe piece in a shoe by permitting said toe piece to lie flat on the inner sole of the shoe during insertion, the lower end of said heel piece thereby being adjustable in substantially the plane of the toe piece, and means for adjusting the spacing between said toe piece and the lower end of said heel piece to permit use of said shoe tree in various sizes of shoes, said adjusting means extending forwardly through said heel piece from the rear side thereof below the pivotal connection of the heel piece and connecting member and having its forward end engaging the web of said channel to adjust the angular position of said heel piece relative to said connecting member and thereby force said toe piece forwardly in the shoe.

2. An adjustable shoe tree according to claim 1, in which said channel is pivotally secured to said toe piece by a pivot pin, and the inside of the lower end of said heel piece is notched to receive said pivot pin when the heel piece is folded within the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Resch May 5,

1,095,420 1914 1,469,238 Newlin Oct. 2, 1923 1,902,251 Resch Mar. 21, 1933 1,921,093 Olson Aug. v8, 1933 2,026,246 Palladino Dec. 31, 1935 2,322,267 Woodard et al June 22, 1943 2,459,592 Slavin Ian. 18, 1949 2,861,284 Flocos Nov. 25, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,983 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1910 17,440 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1903 20,350 GreatBritain Oct. 11,1901 24,236 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1901 107,951 Austria Nov. 25, 1927 333,032 France Sept. 9, 1903 568,935 France Jan. 2, 192 4 

